The 25th Anniversary ESSENCE Festival® Brings the 90’s Heat with Special Performances of the Hottest Albums Celebrating 25 Years

Never-Seen-Before Original Artist-Curated Sets Highlight 90’s
Albums That Changed the Game

Night-by-Night Performance Line Up Unveiled

July 4-7 in New Orleans, LA

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The ESSENCE Festival® presented by Coca-Cola, the world’s largest
cultural, entertainment and empowerment experience and largest
celebration of global Black culture, is set to bring the 90’s heat with
special performances that celebrate the 25th anniversary of
some of the top albums of the decade. The Festival also just announced
the official night-by-night performance line
up for its concert series taking place July 5th, 6th
and 7th at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.

With hits that remain timeless, the 90’s era of R&B and hip-hop music
significantly impacted our global culture – setting musical trends and a
standard of excellence that made space for artists to thrive as
creators, visionaries and entrepreneurs. By spotlighting some of the
era’s most forward-looking, game-changing albums that are also
celebrating their 25th anniversaries, the celebration will
reach beyond nostalgia to new school—with special performances to
elevate the groundbreaking sounds that continue to influence the most
popular, chart-topping artists of today.

“We are celebrating our 25th anniversary with an
extraordinary, multigenerational, cultural celebration featuring nearly
100 Black artists who know that the ESSENCE Festival is ‘home,’” said
Michelle Ebanks, CEO of ESSENCE Communications. “Through an imaginative
slate of 25th anniversary curations and a fresh take on our
night-by-night line-up, this year’s milestone Festival will creatively
represent some of our culture’s most important and influential bodies of
work – past, present and future. We are excited to place the spotlight
on the music that captivated and inspired our global communities—all
reimagined exclusively for the ‘only-at-ESSENCE’ Festival stages.”

Each “25th” set will be curated and performed by the original
artists, including Mary J. Blige’s My Life, Nas’ Illmatic, Brandy’s Brandy, Scarface’s Diary, Big
Daddy Kane’s Daddy’s Home, Da Brat’s Funkdafied, Slick
Rick’s Behind Bars and Brownstone’s From
the Bottom Up.

Kicking off Friday night are marquee performances from some of music’s
biggest acts including Missy Elliott, RBRM (Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky,
Mike) and more; opening night will also include a 25th anniversary set
presented by Doug E. Fresh that will feature Brandy, Ledisi and Sheila
E., MC Lyte, Morris Day, Former Members of New Power Generation, among
others.

Saturday night is anchored by Mary J. Blige, Nas, H.E.R. and more,
with 25th anniversary celebrations by some of the most
influential names in hip-hop, including Big Daddy Kane, Scarface,
Slick Rick and more.

Closing night on Sunday will feature a performance by Maze featuring
Frankie Beverly with a special tribute to Frankie Beverly delivered by
Anthony Hamilton; Jermaine Dupri’s Atlanta-focused curation with
performances by Musiq Soulchild, Da Brat, Lil Jon and Dem Franchize
Boyz; Teddy Riley’s Legends of Music curation that includes Pharrell
Williams, Timbaland, Teyana Taylor, MAJOR., Ro James and more; as well
as a NOLA-style bounce performance with Mannie Fresh and Big Freedia.

Each night will be hosted by Loni Love and will feature music by DJ
D-Nice.

The ESSENCE Festival takes place July 4-7, 2019 in New Orleans, LA. You
can view the official night-by-night line up here.
Single night ticket are on
sale now.

For information about ticket sales, accommodations and the latest news
about the ESSENCE Festival® visit Essence.com/festival.
Join the festival community: Follow us on Twitter @essencefest
#EssenceFest and become a fan of Festival on Facebook.

The ESSENCE Festival is sponsored by Coca-Cola, AT&T, Ford, State Farm
and Walmart.

The ESSENCE Festival is produced by ESSENCE Communications, Inc. FOR
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Please e-mail festivalpress@essence.com.

About ESSENCE Communications Inc.

ESSENCE Communications is the number one media, technology and commerce
company dedicated to Black women and inspires a global audience of more
than 17 million through diverse storytelling and immersive original
content. With a multi-platform presence in publishing, experiential and
online, ESSENCE encompasses its signature magazine; digital, video and
social platforms; television specials; books; as well as live events,
including Black Women in Music, Black Women in Hollywood, Street Style
and the ESSENCE Festival. Essence Communications is owned by Essence
Ventures, an independent Black-owned, technology-driven company focused
on merging content, community and commerce to meet the evolving cultural
and lifestyle needs of people of color.